The story of Jonah and the fish

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There’s a ginormous fish on my coffee table. It’s for my Jonah and the Fish game. I made it out of a laundry basket and a big garbage bag. It has big teeth and a long tongue. I hope it’s as cool for the kids as it is in my head. After we do our Bible lesson about Jonah being eaten by a humungous fish, we will take turns tossing a plastic Jonah into the mouth of the laundry basket/garbage bag fish with the big teeth and tongue.

Sometimes my games don’t work as well in our preschool class as they do in my head. Last month, I worked on a board game for two weeks. It was over three feet long and had crosses, shapes, clip art of kids, and pictures of Bible stories all over it. I planned, cut, glued, and measured day after day until I had it just right, then had it laminated at our local office supply store. (It’s not the largest thing they’ve laminated so far. Our four-foot Jesus a while back, gave them a little bit of trouble.)

I couldn’t wait for us to play our new board game! Everybody chose a plastic animal before we started. (That was funny all by itself. They had a hard time understanding that the animal took their place on the board.) The kiddies answered questions after each roll of a dice. (They knew ALL of the answers. I’m so proud of them!) They had never used dice before so we explained how it worked. One little girl shook her dice hard in her hand for a long time and then slammed it straight down on the board as hard as she could. I got so tickled! With a serious face she moved to the next place in the game but then carried her giraffe all over the room.

One of our boys was next. On his turn, he licked the dice and then slung it the full length of the table. It hit the wall and bounced off! My helper and I looked at each other with big eyes. Where on earth had that come from?! We told him to gently shake the dice in his hand and let it roll out. It took a few practices to get it right-without putting someone’s eye out!

We all took turns and it took FOREVER! There were 11 of them that night…too many to take turns more than once! After the first go around, they decided they would rather look out the window. (I told you: some of my games are better in my head.) At least they had learned to roll a dice. Not that we will ever do that again!

This week was a little sad. We are graduating our kindergarteners. They are starting school and headed to the “big kid’s class”. I could cry-a little. We’ve been through so much together! Bible stories about David and Goliath, Joseph and his brothers, Noah and the ark, Daniel in the lion’s den, potty training, learning to take turns and how to use glue sticks. But most of all, we’ve learned the breath-taking stories of Jesus and that He will always, ALWAYS love them-no matter what. (OK, I’m crying a bunch now.) This has been the best adventure with them!

Can I just say something? I know I’m not your mother and I’m not the boss of you…but teach your kids about Jesus. Life is hard, sometimes VERY hard. We all-young and old-will turn to someone or something for comfort, guidance or help in the time of trouble. Who or what will that be?

Of all the things my Mom taught me, knowing that He loves me and is with me are the very best things!

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